


White Roses, Red Thorns.

by Annyeonging



Category: Red Velvet (K-pop Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gangsters, Angst, F/F, Fuckbuddies, Multi, Smut, Unrequited Love, Useless Lesbians
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-17
Updated: 2019-11-20
Packaged: 2021-02-07 14:17:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21459427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Annyeonging/pseuds/Annyeonging
Summary: One of South Korea's most prominent gangs have their sights set on wealthy business tycoon Lee Sooman. However, internal conflicts threaten the longevity of the assassins' alliance. Secrets spread like wild fire pinning members against one another until no one is safe.
Relationships: Bae Joohyun | Irene/Kang Seulgi, Bae Joohyun | Irene/Park Sooyoung | Joy, Bae Joohyun | Irene/Son Seungwan | Wendy, Kang Seulgi/Kim Yerim | Yeri, Kang Seulgi/Park Sooyoung | Joy
Comments: 5
Kudos: 32





	1. Chapter 1

The skies had cried all throughout that gloomy Thursday morning. Kim Yerim sat at her desk by the window - tracing heaven's tear drops with her gaze as they ran down the window pane. What an unfortunate day to forget an umbrella.

The young girl turned her head to observe her fellow classmates as they slumped in their seats. They had the expressions of living carcasses - practically drooling as the teacher gave some long-winded explanation on exponential equations. 

_If he wasn't so pretty to look at, I would've sicked Haegol on him ages ago. _

A fluttering streak of black feathers caught Yerim's eye. A lone raven had perched itself on the window sill, cocking its tiny head as it looked back at her with intrigue. Yerim stared at the creature for some time until it turned to reveal a crater filled with blood where the right eye should've been. As quickly as the bird came, it left - no doubt returning to his keeper. She continued to watch his figure blend into the dark storm clouds on the horizon before returning to the lecture, eye lids growing heavier under the weight of boredom.

* * *

A firm slap of rolled papers against her head stirred Yerim from her slumber. By then, every other desk in the class had been emptied signifying the end of third period. She glared up at the smiling teacher who handed her the test she took the week before, full marks as usual. She glanced at it with disinterest before looking back up at him, silently asking if that would be all. 

"You seem to have a way with numbers." The man spoke with a smile. "You should consider joining mathletes. We could really use someone like you." Yerim said nothing, obviously having none of it. Instead of giving him the courtesy of a straight answer, she rested her head right back on top of her folded arms with a tired sigh. The novice teacher awkwardly cleared his throat before taking the hint and walking away. 

Yerim had always been a peculiar child. She never expressed any real enthusiasm towards anything. Instead, she simply did what was asked of her and carried on about her business - going through the motions like a mime. The girl had a dark aura around her that was toxic in nature. Anyone that tried to get close to her out of pity miraculously disappeared a few months later. It was for this reason she could part the hallways like the waters of the Red Sea simply by walking in a straight line. Her peers and teachers were convinced there was something going on beneath the surface and they were right.

To put it simply, Yerim could see and interact with spirits.

They wandered the hallways among the average population yet went completely undetected by anyone but her. They were such brats too - teasing her on a daily basis. Soon she realized that the less attention she gave them, the more they left her alone and the same held true for humans. The only demon Yerim ever invested her precious time in was Haegol - a faceless beast that freely roamed the spirit realm for as long as life existed. Over time, she grew to love the beast and it protected her in return. However, Haegol was not a gentle giant by any means. In fact, he was quite the opposite. He was as jealous as he was blood thirsty - tearing anyone that tried to get too close to shreds, hence the not so mysterious disappearances. As one would expect, this left her with a non existent friend group though she really didn't mind it.

Besides, she had four cool older felons to keep her company.

Yerim's feet squished underneath her as her yellow boots filled with rain water. Grumbling in annoyance, she stomped down the sidewalk with her arms folded over her chest. People gave her concerned glances as they passed by, some of them telling her to smile, slowly pouring a bit of gasoline on the little ember of anger forming in her chest. 

_Who are they to judge me? They should consider themselves lucky. _

A few demons with hauntingly wide smiles stared at her through shop windows, heads turning like an owl's and freezing in place when she stopped. A familiar voice made Yerim turn to glance over her shoulder. A tall, black-haired girl jogged to catch up - holding an umbrella over Yerim's head with a cheeky little smirk.

"Thanks." Yerim growled grumpily as she began to walk again.

"Did Chugu pay you a visit earlier?" 

"Yes. He's been doing that a lot recently." 

"She must be plotting something." The taller of the two - Sooyoung, otherwise known as Joy - stated. "She only sends Chugu scouting when someone's caught her eye." Yerim nodded in agreement as the scenery slowly shifted from a clean road lined with store fronts to a sketchy street littered with tattoo parlors and broken neon signs. It was practically a ghost town - the only signs of life being a few stray dogs lingering around a dumpster. The girls checked their surroundings for any possible onlookers before turning down a darkened alleyway.

The sounds of hip hop music and laughter echoed off the brick walls. Further down, underneath a flickering streetlight, stood a horde of neon-clad ruffians spray painting one of the abandoned buildings lining the crevasse. Their presence caught the attention of a guy with a pink Mohawk and sunglasses. His ugly gold tooth flashed in a grin as he gnawed on a sucker.

"Well well. Look what the cat dragged in." He gave them a once over, noticing school uniforms hidden underneath their rain wear. "How was school today, ladies? Learn anything new?" His lackeys joined him in his laughter as if they were being held at gunpoint which, to be honest, they probably were.

"I thought we agreed to keep to ourselves, Letto." Sooyoung said, completely unamused by the gang of walking highlighters.

"Aw c'mon! We're just bein' neighborly! Ain't that right, fellas?" His members nodded and voiced their agreement. "Now then." Sooyoung hissed and jerked her head away when a bony hand tucked some stray hair behind her ear. "I believe you ladies still owe me and my boys here a favor or two."

"Well aren't you a class act." Letto grit his yellow teeth and rolled his eyes at the familiar voice. All eyes gazed up at a shadow perched on one of the shabby rooftops overlooking the scene. With all of the grace of a feline, the figure jumped down onto the ground below - stretching its slender legs after impact. The echo of high heels clicking against the pavement demanded everyone's undivided attention. A slender woman with bangs and oriental beauty made her presence known, forcing herself between Letto and her two gang mates. 

"Well if it isn't the infamous Kang Seulgi." Letto grumbled sarcastically. "Fancy seeing you here."

"Likewise." 

"Shouldn't you be off playing darts with some rich guy's headshot?" Seulgi said nothing, arms folded neatly across her chest, simply staring at the troll of a man as if he was nothing more than an ant beneath her shoe.

Kang Seulgi was a woman of very few words - she made a whole career out of it; taking out pompous rich guys for cash. It didn't matter who it was or where it came from, if the request was worth the bounty, Seulgi would get the job done swiftly and efficiently. She was a living shadow - moving swiftly without a sound and assassinating her targets before they even had a moment to gasp. She became known for her talents in the art of knife wielding.

As much as she'd like to deny it, Seulgi was once one of Letto's lackeys. Actually, she was more like their crutch. No one dared cross the likes of Kang Seulgi and lived to tell the tale. She warded off all confrontation while raising the gang's threat level considerably. They just couldn't keep up. All they wanted to do was slack off and make empty plans they would never actually follow through with. Seulgi hated sitting still. And so, she slipped away in the dead of night and never looked back.

"I never thought I'd see the day you joined the circus." Letto jabbed. 

"I think you'll find I'm full of surprises." Seulgi said while fiddling with one of her daggers between her fingers as a silent threat to stand down.

"Or maybe you're just washed up." Seulgi's glare was sharper than the weapons she loved so dearly. Without any further warning, a dagger whizzed through the crowd of lackeys, nailing Letto against the far wall of the alley by his wife beater. He grunted at the impact against his back, sun glasses falling slightly crooked to reveal his ugly, blood-shot eyes. "You always were a good aim. It's a shame you've gone soft, Kang." 

"You'd be wise to bite your tongue." She spat lowly, turning to escort her members away from their lousy neighbors.

"Say hello to Irene for me!" He cackled as the trio disappeared behind a pair of trap doors.

An old rotten stair case lead them down into the cellar beneath what used to be a high-end boutique in its prime. The cramped, dark corridor opened up into a large space reminiscent of an old New York-style bachelor pad. Oddly enough, they had exquisite taste in interior decoration. Purple and pink neon signage and mood lighting illuminated the hideout providing some ambiance for the gaggle of mannequins mingling in the corner.

Seulgi held the younger girls by their shirts, practically dropping them in front of their leader's chair. The same black bird from before sat on its perch beside its mistress, squawking hoarsely. The woman of power, Irene - more formerly known as Miss Bae Joohyun - was draped over a red velvet bergere, filing her nails with disinterest as she spared the girls a side-eyed glance. 

"So, how was school?" She asked flatly, returning her attention to her hands. 

"Save it. We saw Chugu today."

The leader smirked, shifting her body to sit properly - legs crossed neatly with her beautiful head propped up on her arm. 

"Always so quick to the punch line." She chuckled. "Isn't that what landed you here in the first place?" Sooyoung set her jaw and diverted her eyes. Meanwhile, Yerim gulped and looked down at the rusty black key dangling around her neck. The leader quirked a curious but dainty brow at the action. "Has that beast of yours been causing any problems lately, Yerim-ah?" The younger shook her head adamantly. "Good. Learn to control it. Otherwise, it'll eat you alive." 

"Yes ma'am."

The cold woman's attention then turned to the ever stoic Seulgi.

"And what about you? It's been a while."

"I've been around."

Joohyun smirked but didn't press for further details. She knew Seulgi lived her own life outside of their activities and what she did during that time was strictly confidential. In fact, they rarely saw her unless Irene specifically called for her attendance. While everyone had their own space in the lair, only Yerim and Seungwan occupied it regularly since she was the heiress to one of the wealthiest families in Asia and Sooyoung still lived at home. As for Seulgi, no one knew where she disappeared to and she liked to keep it that way. 

"Where's Wendy?"

"I'm here!" A chipper voice called from the kitchen. "I was just baking some cookies!"

Everyone had earned their place, including Son Seungwan who fit more like a piece from a completely different puzzle. While she appeared to be easy going and cheerful on the outside, her brain was a network of fried wires. The girl housed multiple personas within one canister. Her initiation into the gang piggybacked off of her escape from the psychiatric ward and the mad rampage following it - using _scissors _of all things. The girl was about as mad as a hatter, unpredictable, but something about her appealed to Joohyun.

"So who are you scouting?" Sooyoung asked, knowing well enough by now that their leader had something bubbling beneath the surface.

"Lee Soo-man." All eyes widened in surprise. Lee Soo-man was one of the head honchos of Korea's ever blooming entertainment industry. He was a highly praised business tycoon to say the least and was nearly untouchable - a target way out of even their league. 

"Wow. That's a hefty target, Irene. What's the angle?"

"Word among the higher ups is he's investing in a new estate." Joohyun said, stroking Chugu's back gently. "My father intends to get on his good side."

"And by that you mean through marriage." Seulgi stated receiving a nod. Joohyun's father refrained from selling her off to another man until he found one he deemed financially on par with his daughter's heavenly beauty. She had spent the better part of five years deceiving the world into believing her late husband died peacefully in his sleep when in truth, his demise was much more..._gorey_. Now, with the monopoly man moving into the neighborhood, Mr. Bae saw it as an opportunity to boost his family's social status through his eldest daughter's hand in marriage. After years of hopeless searching, her father had finally found another egocentric snob with a bank account to back it up. While other heiresses would be shouting for equal rights, Bae Joohyun feigned content with a smile. After all, this would make her next maniacal plan as Irene that much easier.

"Huh. So there _is_ another man that meets his standards." Sooyoung chuckled. "Go figure."

"So what exactly _is_ your plan? If you're just gonna pull a slumber party, then there's no need for us to get involved." Seulgi inquired, holding a warm cookie Seungwan had handed her. 

"She's got a point." The chef of the group added as she passed the plate of treats around. "You've never needed our help getting someone into bed with you before. That's kind of your specialty." 

"That would be true, however, this is a much swifter buck to hunt. He's a well guarded man. We'll need to be careful with our approach - butter him up before we sink our teeth in." Chugu cawed as if in agreement with his mistress' words. The other four exchanged a few questioning glances before Sooyoung piped up again.

"Alright, I'm in. I'm always up for a challenge."

"Me too." Seungwan murmured while raising her hand stiffly, already shifted into another one of her personalities.

Yerim and the ring leader made eye contact. The former had always been on board with Joohyun's plans, however, this one seemed a bit different. She was more hesitant to comply and the older saw this - brow quirked up as if challenging young Yerim to come to her own decision for the first time in her life. She knew the maknae was becoming an adult and it was time she started carrying herself like one. After a few short seconds, Yerim nodded which received a proud yet sinister smile from her caretaker. All eyes drifted to Seulgi who stood in the same spot she had been in since arriving, cookie now cold in her hand. Monolid eyes cut straight to Joohyun's. The two seemed to have a full on conversation within the heat of the gaze before Seulgi also nodded her allegiance. The leader smiled, leaning back in her chair with content.

"Excellent." She held out a hand for her winged companion to perch himself on, holding him out of the tiny ventilation window. Five pairs of eyes watched as the bird took flight, disappearing against the black of the night sky.


	2. Chapter 2

Champagne glasses clinked over the mumbling of voices and laughter reverberating through the Bae estate. Tonight would be a momentous occasion; the night Mr. Bae would offer his eldest daughter's hand to Mr. Lee Soo-man. That is, if he even made an appearance.

Joohyun's father had been pacing in his study, nervously awaiting his arrival. His wife seemed less than concerned from her perch on the edge of his desk. She continued to sip away at her glass of red wine, watching her husband with an annoyed expression.

"What if he doesn't come?"

"He'll come." Mrs. Bae murmured, voice void of all sincerity.

"Even worse, what if he declines?" He paused then quietly chuckled at his own foolish statement. "Preposterous. There's not a man alive who could resist our lovely Baechu's charms. Speaking of which, where is she?"

"I imagine she's downstairs socializing." Mrs. Bae said with a smirk as she sauntered over with a sway in her hips, draping her arms over her husband's broad shoulders. "As you should be." The man turned to his wife with a smile, meeting her for a peck over the shoulder.

* * *

The house was alive and buzzing with activity. Live piano melodies blended nicely with the cheerful murmurs of the posh party goers as Bae Joohyun made her rounds like a good little rich girl, stopping every now and then to engage in small talk with her guests. Many complimented her on her simple black dress or how she looked so elegant with her hair tied in a bun. While a tubby man boasted about his son's accomplishments, Joohyun glanced across the foyer finding Sooyoung stood with her back against the wall. She gave a slight nod, receiving one in return before they both went about their own business.

"Ah! The lovely Miss Joohyun!" A tall man sporting an impressive mustache and a stout woman on his arm approached her tastefully, bowing at the hip. As they erected their posture, the man looked the young heiress up and down. "My, do you look stunning this evening! Not that you don't every other time of the day of course-" He winced when his wife jabbed him with her elbow.

"William, please!"

"That's quite alright, I appreciate the compliment." Joohyun flashed a charming smile, bowing politely to show her gratitude.

"Oh, you're such a pleasant young woman!" The older lady cooed, pinching Joohyun's cheek as one would a small child. "Mr. Soo-man would be so lucky to have you for a bride!" She grimaced at the statement but managed to smile even through the molten anger bubbling in her stomach. "It was lovely seeing you, darling!" She called over her shoulder while her husband lead her away. Irene waved back, internally overjoyed to see them go. Playing the act of a well-mannered rich girl for three hours was taking a heavy toll on her patience.

_I must be out of practice. _

Sooyoung approached her with an amused smirk on her ruby lips.

"_Oh that's quite alright!_" She mocked in a high pitched voice followed by a laugh earning her a slap to the shoulder. 

"Shut up." Sooyoung looked around the sea of well-dressed strangers while taking a long sip from her champagne glass. 

"So has lover boy shown up yet?"

"I haven't seen him." Sooyoung scoffed, downing more of the alcoholic beverage. "We'll rely on Seulgi to be our eyes." The leader in disguise subtly pointed up at the glass dome of a ceiling above the living room. "She'll alert us if she finds anything." 

Seulgi examined the premises through her binoculars, scanning for any sign of Lee Soo-man. So far all she saw was an ocean of snobby rich people, none of which were the individual they were looking for. She checked the living room, back terrace, even the gardens but still found nothing. As she was about to confirm him absent, a black limousine pulled up in front of the mansion. She picked up the binoculars once more, zooming in on the vehicle as a chaperone opened the door. A familiar man stepped out and dusted off his tuxedo. _Lights, camera, action. _Seulgi pressed the mic in her ear.

"Cloud to dart leader."

_"This is dart leader."_

"I have visuals. He's headed for the entrance, over."

"Rodger that, over." Joohyun replied quietly so as to not attract any unwanted attention. The younger had overheard the conversation, putting on her best game face. She nodded to Irene, slipping away towards the heart of the household just as their target stepped into the foyer. She was about to make her move when her father's loud voice rang in her ear.

"Mr. Lee! It's such an honor to welcome you into our humble home!" He greeted, shaking the millionaire's hand.

"Yes, yes, the pleasure is all mine. I appreciate the invitation." Joohyun looked Lee Soo-man up and down, sizing him up. Her father turned to her with a proud smile.

"Allow me to introduce our eldest daughter, Bae Joohyun." She could feel the man's eyes undressing her as she bowed respectfully.

"She's lovely." He said with a subtle grin, eyeing her body suggestively. Feeling a broth between rage and discomfort churn in her stomach, Joohyun softly cleared her throat. 

"Appa? May I be excused? I'm feeling quite parched." 

"O-oh! Yes, of course." Mr. Bae stuttered with hesitation. He was hoping she would spend more time talking with Soo-man but didn't want to deny her in front of their honored guest. Joohyun bowed once more before walking away, adding a bit more sway to her hips than necessary.

"Tell me," Soo-man began as he watched her make her exit. "Is your daughter set to be married by any chance?" Mr. Bae's heart did a flip.

"Not at the moment, why? Are you fond of her?" 

"What is your asking price?" The suddenly worried father chuckled at the odd, rather ill-stated question.

"Sir, with no disrespect, Joohyun is my daughter. She's not for sa-"

"Is there any reason she would be unfit to bear strong sons?"

"Well, I-"

"That'll be all." Mr. Bae stood bewildered as the large man traced Joohyun's trail towards the kitchen. Sooyoung peeked out from around the corner, ducking back once she confirmed the man was gone.

"Hollow bog to cloud, do you have a visual?" 

"I see them." Seulgi stated, watching as Lee Soo-man weaved his way through the crowd towards the subject of his desires.

Joohyun sighed as she poured some beige champagne into an empty glass. 

_I'll need way more of this before the night is over. _

Two burly arms pressed against the counter on either side of her waist making her furrow her brows in half-feigned confusion. A firm body pressed against her back causing her to hum, warm breath grazing her right ear. Lee Soo-man had her trapped between his strong frame and the marble countertop in front of her.

"You intrigue me, Bae Joohyun." He murmured against her admittedly sensitive ears. "I do hope we can get more acquainted." She gasped when his beefy hand fondled her butt over the fabric of her dress. 

_Hook, line, and sinker. _

"Hmmm, and what makes you think I've taken a liking to you, mister Lee?" The huntress teasingly pressed herself back against him eliciting a quiet rumble of a groan. The man chuckled, continuing to engage in the little game they were playing.

"Well aren't you a little vixen?" His right hand tilted her head backwards slightly while his lips connected with the side of her neck. The woman's eyes fluttered closed as a breathy little moan escaped her lips.

However, her moment of victory was short lived.

The estate's fire alarms rang throughout the house putting an end to the pianist's melodies. People screamed bloody murder when the sprinklers came on, making a break for the exit while fumbling over drenched gowns and dress shoes - makeup running down people's faces. To think that appearance alone was of that much importance to them. Joohyun grit her teeth in annoyance, black hair already soaked and sticking to her neck on its way out of the tidy bun it had been tucked into. The lack of body heat molding against her back only further thumbed her initial plan's failure in her face.

Irene was _pissed._

* * *

Back at the lair, a very moist Joohyun slammed her purse down on the table making Yerim and Seungwan jump in surprise. The leader slumped against her chair with her head in her hand, water dripping from her jet black locks. Seulgi and Sooyoung entered soon after, the latter just as water logged as the heiress. A curious Yerim hung over the back of the couch as the scene played out before her.

"I take it the mission didn't go well." Sooyoung held a finger up to her mouth; the universal signal for 'shut the fuck up.' Seungwan pursed her lips, turning back around on the couch while chewing a mouthful of her popcorn. 

"What the hell was that!?" Irene growled, eyes closed. "A few minutes more and he'd be six inches deep by now!" Seulgi and Sooyoung remained silent. "Seulgi!"

"Yes?"

"Did you catch who the perpetrator was?" The room was silent for a moment before the assassin spoke up.

"No." Joohyun sighed in frustration, finally sitting up. 

"I suppose tonight wasn't a complete bust." She muttered. "After all, the seed has been planted. Perhaps this minor..._inconvenience_, will prove to be very helpful in our little game." 

"Yeah! That's the spirit!" Happy Wendy cheered, popcorn flying as she fist pumped the air. The maknae rolled her eyes, resting her chin against the back of the couch.

"If it helps, I overheard him talking with your father." Sooyoung stated matter of factly. "He seems interested in the whole marriage idea." That seemed to relax the leader a bit which was made evident by her overly-slacked posture in her chair.

"So the mission was a success." Yerim chimed in. "You got his attention. So what if you didn't bone? I still say this calls for a celebration."

"Yeah!" Yerim returned her couch neighbor's enthusiastic high five.

"You guys have fun." 

"No! Where ya goin'?" Seungwan whined pathetically at Seulgi who - as usual - couldn't seem to get out of there fast enough.

"Anywhere but here. And could someone please give Wendy her pills? I can't stand her sudden mood swings."

"Meanie!" Yerim sighed, the door slamming shut from the top of the stairs.

"Come on, Wendy, I'll get you your pills." Said woman groaned in despair as she was practically dragged towards the medicine cabinet.

Still standing in front of their leader, Sooyoung shuffled her foot against the tile flooring. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't sad to see Seulgi go. To be honest, none of them were really friends - just a bunch of criminals that agreed to work together and split handsome rewards. However, she did have a hidden soft spot for the other members - particularly Irene. She had a sway of seduction about her that was heavily infectious in nature. Hell, the woman could blink and armies of horny men - even women - would fall to their knees and grovel. The range of such power did not halt at the feet of her members, however. In fact, it influenced a few of them just as effectively - Yerim being the only real exception to the rule. While Seungwan seemed asexual for the most part, Sooyoung was certainly not exempt from this and neither was Seulgi though the latter was much better at hiding it. The original duo's occasional hookups only became known to Sooyoung after she went out of her way to spy on their leader's nightly activities. She couldn't say she was surprised. After all, Irene was known for her horniness and allure. Seulgi, on the other hand - now that came as a shock to Sooyoung's system.

She looked up through long lashes, watching Joohyun sit with her eyes closed peacefully. Sure, her hands may be deadly, but her visuals could do the same amount of damage - killing her victim from the inside out. Her eyes pierced straight into the deepest, darkest depths of one's soul. Sooyoung avoided them if she could help it. That woman was intimidating to say the least.

"Wendy! No!" The leader's eyes flew open in alarm, shifting in the direction the cry came from.

The psycho cackled maniacally, running into the living room with eyes as wide as saucers. She had gotten her hands on a pair of metal scissors despite Seulgi having hid them all ages ago. She rounded the corner towards Joohyun who reached for the metal ax propped up by her chair. Seeing the threat and heeding its warning, Sooyoung quickly grabbed the girl's wrists - flipping Seungwan down on her back and pinning her there. The petite girl wriggled underneath her, still cackling loudly as her teeth chattered together.

"Stop if you know what's good for you!" She growled in a hushed whisper despite Seungwan being too out of her mind to comprehend. "Yerim-ah!"

"Right!" Yerim quickly popped a large capsule into Seungwan's open mouth, chasing it down with a bit of water leaving the girl no choice but to swallow or drown. As she began to mellow out, Sooyoung took the scissors and handed them off to the maknae. 

"Go put these somewhere she won't find them." 

"What happened?" Seungwan asked as she finally came to. "Did I rampage again?" 

"Yeah." She sighed, taking Sooyoung's outstretched hand and sitting up. She froze in fear when she saw the eldest place her menacing ax back against the wall.

"Watch your step, Wendy." The leader stated with a threatening tone of voice. "I like you and all, but I won't hesitate to let my hand slip if you get too gutsy." Seungwan gulped but nodded, apologizing profusely. Contrary to popular belief, she was a very collected individual so long as she was on her pills. However, she absolutely despised taking them which lead to an endless cycle of personality fluctuations and fits of insanity. 

Hoping to ease the tension, Sooyoung quickly changed the subject. "So about the plan-"

"No more on that tonight." Joohyun insisted, getting to her feet. "We'll meet again in a few days to discuss. For now, lay low and don't get arrested."

"Yes ma'am." Yerim said with a salute, leaping over the back of the couch to resume the movie she and Seungwan had been watching.

"Joy? Aren't you going home too?" Hearing Seungwan's question, Irene pulled her arm through one of her coat sleeves, also curious to hear Joy's response.

"Actually, I think I'll stay here tonight."

"Really? Finally! Someone entertaining!" Yerim groaned, failing to notice Seungwan's offended glare carving a hole into the back of her head.

"I'll take my leave then." Joohyun said from the stairs. "I'll send Chugu for you within the fort nite."

"Sounds good." Yerim mumbled while munching on some popcorn.

* * *

A light drizzle had washed over Seoul earlier in the day leaving the streets shiny and littered with puddles. Joohyun pulled the fur lining her coat's hood against her rosy cheeks, breaths escaping her lungs in puffs of steam as they blended with the cold night air. Such a dreary day had turned into a beautiful, clear night. She would be able to see the constellations if not for the light pollution.

On her way out of the slums, a figure propped up against an abandoned store front snared her attention.

"I thought you'd be long gone by now." Seulgi turned to look at her with an unreadable expression. Without a word, she reached into her pocket - holding a gold locket out for the other to take. Joohyun examined it as it dangled, moving under the force of a chilly breeze blowing by. "What's this?"

"Just open it." With an annoyed scowl, she did as the younger said - opening the locket to reveal an image that formed a lump in her throat. Her head rose once again, glaring at Seulgi in an overwhelming fit of rage.

"You've got some nerve!" She snarled through gritted teeth.

"I'm simply returning what's been lost." Seulgi stated, completely unfazed by the venom in her leader's voice. "I couldn't care less about your personal life. However, I do wonder if a part of you did love him," Her tone quickly became gruff and as cold as the air around them. "...and if so, why." Joohyun looked down at the image of her and Suho smiling at the camera, holding each other as though everything was right with the world. She looked happy - a different breed of happy long forgotten, hidden somewhere beneath the sands of time. The shuffling of feet caught her attention but by the time she looked up, Seulgi was gone.


	3. Chapter 3

Chugu soared high above the city streets, ducking behind purple clouds as he flew. Seoul was ablaze in a fiery inferno of beautiful night lights, licking at the serenity of the sky in early morning. The purple sky made the raven's coat shimmer with the hue as he came upon a brick church steeple. The movement of his wings caused a chain reaction of various hanging wind chimes to sing as he banked, coming in to land on the ledge. He squawked loudly to announce his own arrival before pecking at the little pile of bird seed at his feet.

Seulgi looked up from her collection of Polaroid pictures, raising a brow at the familiar bird. His presence became like that of an old friend. Chugu was the only member of the squad that knew of her hiding place and she would like to keep it that way. Since Joohyun had no clue as to where she scampered off to after hours, she sent Chugu to deliver her messages for her. Seulgi didn't mind the bird as much as she did his master - that is, unless his master's bedroom was involved. His inability to speak made him so much more likable in her opinion.

She held out her hand to which the raven quickly hopped on, enjoying the ride bringing him closer to her eye level. The black bird looked around curiously, flashing the crater in his head without putting much thought into it.

"You really are an ugly little thing, aren't you?" A slip of white paper tied to the animal's twig of a leg caught her eye. With nimble fingers, Seulgi untied it, gently placing him back down on the ledge to eat.

_The viper strikes upon the hour when two babies cry. _

_Be sure to bring a bottle. _

Seulgi smirked, turning to retrieve a black case beside her makeshift desk composed of plastic storage bins. Inside was a pistol loaded with six rounds. Sparing a glance at the clock by her mattress, she read a quarter past twelve - plenty of time to make a few early arrangements. The brunette stood on the edge of the bell tower and allowed herself to fall, basking in the adrenaline rush she got out of the loss of normal force. She managed to twirl herself around mid-flight in time for her feet to plant themselves on a nearby rooftop, disrupting a few of the shingles in the process.

As Seulgi leaped from building to building off into the distance, Chugu took to the skies once more knowing his master's message had been successfully delivered.

* * *

Meanwhile, Joohyun stood before her parents.

Her father was seated in his brown leather chair with his left leg crossed over his right, finger tips meeting as he examined his heiress. Joohyun felt like an object on display and for once, she didn't like the feeling. The ominous ticking of the old grandfather clock gave the room a heartbeat, becoming the only sound keeping it alive. The tension building in the study's atmosphere managed to make Joohyun waver in discomfort.

"You wanted to see me, father?" Mr. Bae said nothing. He simply sat and stared at his eldest daughter, twiddling his fingers in front of his face deep in thought. By now Joohyun swore she could feel a sizable hole burning through her torso. Finally, the man spoke. 

"Mr. Lee Soo-man has taken quite a liking to you, my dear."

"I am honored." She said with a slight bow. 

"However," She jumped at his abrupt interjection, coming up out of her bow upon her father's implied request. "I must ask you; how are you fairing after Suho's demise? I would hate to rouse any unpleasant memories, my darling daughter." 

_What a load of shit. _

Quickly, Joohyun regurgitated any crusted emotion lying dormant in the deepest, darkest depths of her soul jar.

"I miss him, father." Mr. and Mrs. Bae watched her shed a few tears to supposedly mourn the loss of her late beloved.

"There there, Joohyun-ah." Her mother cooed, a sympathetic look in her eyes. 

"Perhaps Mr. Soo-man will serve as a suitable replacement." Her father stated. "He has proven he is capable of tending to your needs as his wife. He has expressed interest in courtship and I have readily accepted on your behalf. He is a good man, Joohyun-ah, and you would do well as his lovely wife. All that he requests of you in return is a male heir to inherit his fortune. Could you do that for him?" 

"Yes, father." Mr. Bae sat back in his chair, waving her off in dismissal.

* * *

Seulgi peered over the edge of the rooftop, watching as Joohyun and Lee Soo-man took a late night stroll together through the gardens. Her eyes squinted critically at the sight of their leader hand in hand with the subject of their collective interest. 

"It's a beautiful night, Miss Bae, though your beauty shines brighter." Joohyun suppressed a gag and replaced it with a swoon, giggling lightly as they meandered their way through a maze of rose bushes and baroque-style water features. "I must say, I was quite pleased to hear you have accepted my proposal. I was worried I would never get the opportunity to see you again after the incident." Suddenly, she found herself pressed between a wall and the man's towering figure. "I was hoping we could pick up right where we left off?" She looked up at him with a smirk, hands trailing up his rippling biceps to lock around his thick neck. 

"I do love a man who knows what he wants." Soo-man grinned, bringing his lips closer to hers. Their breaths mingled, neither wanting to be the first to crack. The millionaire found himself growing impatient thus compelling him to make the first move, tongue slipping inside to mingle with that of the much younger female's. Joohyun hummed into the kiss out of boredom over pleasure while his hands graced the curve of her waist up towards her rib cage. She disengaged her lips in favor of his neck to get a better look over his shoulder. As instructed, Yerim had been hiding in one of the hedges directly behind Soo-man. The glistening point of a needle slowly peaked out of the foliage, rising to become level with the man's buttocks. Yerim's cheeks puffed up with air, waiting for the cue from Seungwan to fire the tranquilizer dart.

Meanwhile, Sooyoung and Seulgi - aka Plan B - sat perched on the rooftop watching all of this unfold. The former grimaced at their leader's antics, machine gun laid out across her lap. This had to be the most poorly planned strategy they had ever executed. In the shadows, Seulgi was propped up against a dormer window behind her, gazing at her gang mate's back intensely.

"Take a picture, it'll last longer." Seulgi scoffed, quickly glancing off to the side. Sooyoung threw her a snarky smirk over her shoulder, proud to have caught such a careful woman with her pants down. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were checking me out." She added while turning back around to pop a few more rounds into her gun's holster.

"Don't flatter yourself." The sound of a soft moan rising like smoke from the garden below caught the ears of both women. Looking down into the vine-covered pergola, Sooyoung clenched her jaw at the sight of their esteemed leader on her back, hands running up and down the muscular man on top of her.

"Okay, that's a bit much. Even for her."

"Whatever gets the job done." Sooyoung couldn't suppress her smirk if she tried.

"Are you jealous? How long has it been since _you've_ had her on her back?"

"Two nights ago." Sooyoung's amusement wavered ever so slightly.

"Ya know, there's this thing called a filter. Use one."

"Coming from you?" Bright, brown eyes rolled back into Sooyoung's skull before returning to the scene down below. By now, Sooman appeared to be getting a bit too excited for Sooyoung's liking. A beefy hand trailed the curve of Joohyun's waist to land firmly on her hip at which the markswoman snarled, lifting her machine gun to take aim.

"Hold it." A hand pressed the barrel of the gun down against the shingles of the rooftop. Sooyoung's eyes went wide, glaring at Seulgi in a face questioning the woman's loyalty. She seemed focused. The younger looked back in confusion just as a pair of the Baes' security guards dashed out, tasers in hand. At the sound of their footsteps, Yerim quickly retreated back into the cover of the boxwood hedges before she could be spotted. Soo-man got up with his hands held above his head, slowly turning to face the guards.

"Mister Lee?" One declared in surprise. 

"Our sincerest apologies, sir. We thought you were an intruder."

"Yes, well," The man sighed, dusting himself off. "I suppose in a sense I am. I'll see myself out." He turned to give Joohyun his hand, lifting her to her feet. He smiled at her, stroking her cheek softly with the back of his hand. "It was good to see you again, Miss Bae." He pressed a kind kiss to the top of her head before walking away. She watched him leave, arms folded across her chest as she leaned against one of the pergola's supports. Checking to see if the coast was clear, Yerim crawled out of the shrubbery and stood beside her leader.

"Well, that went well." She said sarcastically, picking a few leaves out of her bob.

"I've never seen a man more ignorantly lucky." Yerim found humor in the way the leader ground her teeth. She could see that her leader's lotus of frustration was in full bloom. Sure, this idea was not one for the books, but she wasn't used to going home empty handed - even if her plan was garbage at best. She had always made quick work of her targets, especially when sex was involved, but this one was proving to be quite the test for her. Seeing her slowly fall apart because of it was mildly amusing and terrifying all at once.

Joohyun looked up at Seulgi and Sooyoung - still in their positions. In a seemingly meaningless gesture, she flipped her hair to the side and with that, Sooyoung stood and leaped across the rooftop in the direction of the statuary.

"So what's the plan?" Yerim inquired, looking at the side of Joohyun's moonlit face. Without a word, the heiress lifted her head and closed her eyes, inhaling a bit of the midnight breeze as it blew by.

"Don't fret the details, Yerim-ah." She murmured. "For now, fall back with the others. I'll send for you in three weeks' time; formally." Yerim nodded, running towards a corner of the mansion, using each wall to leap up onto the roof. She paused for a moment, looking down at her leader. She looked so small and frail when she shivered.

The key around her neck jingled like a bell, glowing brightly against the blue backdrop. An ugly, hairy, faceless beast fabricated itself - turning its ugly head and waiting for Yerim. The young girl hopped into one of Haegol's gnarly claws and let him carry her over the rooftop until they disappeared from sight.

Finally alone with her thoughts, Joohyun took a deep breath as another gust of wind blew through her raven hair. When she opened her eyes once again, Chugu was circling high above her head. Sensing an ominous presence looming behind her, Joohyun glanced over her shoulder. 

"I see you got my message." She said with a smile, acknowledging the big black case in her visitor's hand. As expected, Seulgi said nothing. The leader merely smirked, returning her gaze to the bird soaring above her. A distant clock tower chimed twice to mark the hour. "I take it you know what needs to be done then." Seulgi's eyes never wavered as Chugu descended to rest on his master's outstretched arm. Joohyun turned, stroking the bird's tiny head gently. As she passed, she growled huskily into Seulgi's ear.

"I want her dead."


	4. Chapter 4

_"Breaking News: Bae Haeun was found dead this morning at approximately 2:45 am. Police reports claim it was a clear bullet to the head while the family seems to place the blame on multi millionaire Lee Soo-man. More on this story tonight at seven. I'm your host-" _

Yerim mashed the power button on the remote with her thumb, slouching against the back of the couch in thought. What were the odds that Joohyun's younger sister would be assassinated on the same night they had planned to tranquilize Lee Soo-man? It was far too perfect to be a mere coincidence.

As if on cue, Chugu gracefully flew in through the open window and landed squarely on his perch. Onyx feathers glistened in the early morning sunlight as the bird began preening himself while Yerim just stared at him in silent wonder. A loud slam followed by heavy footsteps thundering down the staircase snagged her attention. Turning, she watched as a tired looking Seulgi marched in, slinging a heavy brief case up onto the kitchen table. 

"Fancy seeing you here." Yerim commented receiving an annoyed little huff from the older. The maknae turned the rest of her body around, folding her arms over the back of the couch. "What's in the case?"

"Nothing of your concern." The young assassin rested her head in her hand, watching the other woman as she moved around the kitchen space. Seulgi had a certain grace and charm about her despite her sour attitude. In fact, it was the mystery that came with her aloofness that made her so hypnotizing to watch. Yeri had developed a bit of an infatuation with the older girl, but she kept that little tidbit of information to herself. Surely Joohyun or the others would kill her if they found out. She couldn't help it though - Seulgi was intoxicating.

"I wouldn't suppose you had anything to do with the death of Irene's sister?" Seulgi paused, staring at the back of the refrigerator for a moment before wrapping her elegant hand around a half-eaten sandwich. Yerim smirked, happy to have caused such a reaction from her crush. Her innocent heart eyes followed as the willowy woman headed for the staircase making her snarky grin waver. "Wait, you're leaving?"

"Don't act so surprised." The older woman didn't even spare her another glance as she ascended the stairs and did what she did best - disappeared. Yerim sighed, slumping in her seat. She was hoping to spend some time with Seulgi today, but that plan just walked right out the door - literally. The only person she ever stuck around for was Irene and even then it was only long enough to pick up a little side quest or romp around for a while.

The shiny black case said woman had placed on the table was tempting her - shimmering under the light leaking in through the yonder window. Yerim's head was on a swivel in search of any witnesses, finding none. Grinning, she vaulted over the back of the couch and slowly approached the subject of her peaking curiosity. The shiny shell of it was covered in dents and one of the silver latches was holding on for dear life. Yerim's hand grazed over the top of it as Wendy walked into the room.

"What are you doing?" The maknae let out a little yelp, turning around as quick as a top while grabbing onto the table behind her for support.

"Um...nothing?"

"Better hope you didn't leave any fingerprints." Wendy warned through a sigh, plopping down on the couch. "Seulgi doesn't like people playing with her toys. Just ask the bird." Yerim looked at the hole crusted with dried blood and gulped. While Seulgi appeared to be aloof and quiet, she had a certain edge to her when she felt betrayed. This is just one of the many reasons why she and Joohyun had such a complex relationship and rivalry, however, one of her redeeming qualities was her dependability in completing tasks. It's part of the reason why Irene counted on her to do some of her dirty work. It didn't hurt that she had impeccable aim with a dagger - well, maybe it did in poor Chugu's case.

"I wish she came around more." Yerim mumbled as she ran a wet wipe over the case to rid the surface of any evidence. 

"Since when do you care?" 

"I _don't_ care!" Yerim fired back defensively. "Just because I wonder if she's alive doesn't mean I care about her!" 

"The bottom line is, Seulgi doesn't like to be tied down. She's here when Irene calls her and that's what matters."

"I guess." The younger grumbled crankily, taking one last look at the case. She had known Seulgi since she was very young - she looked up to her. Was it a crime to wonder how she was fairing out there all alone? "What's the deal with them anyway? Why are they so weird with each other?"

"You mean you don't know?" Wendy chuckled in amazement, turning to face the younger. 

"No, what?" The maknae was quickly getting worried. She had posed the question before, but was immediately shut down by both parties involved. It was common knowledge that Seulgi was only a part of the group because Joohyun wanted her to be - if her services weren't needed or appreciated, she would be elsewhere. The irony was in the rivalry they shared with one another. Those two locked horns more often than not, though it was usually a very passive aggressive spat. Yerim thought that maybe they had a showdown a while back that was never really addressed or something of the like, however, Wendy's sly grin said otherwise.

"Those two used to date."

"Are you serious?" At this point, everyone in the gang knew they were spending more than just a few nights rolling around in the hay - no secret there. But the thought of either one of those two being in a real, committed relationship? Especially with each other? That was a whole other realm of crazy. "What happened?"

"Not sure." Wendy replied, attention returning to the TV. "Apparently there was a falling out a while back that got pretty messy and I don't think Irene takes too kindly to having her bird friend's eye gouged out." Yerim's eyes drifted down to the floor as she tried to digest the new little history lesson. "Hey, if you go up today, could you run by the market and pick up some apples for me?" 

"You have legs! Why don't you do it?" Yerim spat with a glare.

"Um, are you high? I can't leave, remember? Asylum escapee?" The maknae clicked her tongue as she reached for some money out of the jar on the counter, not caring to check the amount. "Thanks, idiot!" Wendy called over her shoulder as the trap door slammed shut.

* * *

"_I'm a asylum escapee! I can't leave! _Please." Yerim mumbled to herself as she exited the alleyway. Despite how much it irked her, Wendy had a point. While the other members of the group lived a double-life situation - or became shadows, in Seulgi's case - Wendy was, ironically, always Wendy. It was only a matter of which Wendy she was at the time. She couldn't hide behind a mask and be someone else for a change - she couldn't pretend to be a modern day princess or an ordinary school girl. Her entire world was restricted to being a part of the group and it probably always will be.

Yerim made a right in the direction of the better part of town when a figure caught her eye. At first she thought it was nothing more than a few ghosts trapped in her peripheral vision and went about her merry way. However, upon further inspection, this figure was too lithe and too life-like to be a projection. "Seulgi?" No mistake about it. Seulgi was running across the nearby roof tops, obviously up to something. Curious, she summoned Haegol and the beast crawled into the storm drain with Yerim on his back so as to not be seen. 

They resurfaced in front of a poorly-kept church, raising more than a few questions in Yerim's mind. Haegol had managed to follow her trail but she was beginning to doubt his accuracy. She turned to glance at the monster over her shoulder. Haegol was breathing heavily, blood dripping from the blank canvas where his face used to be. He looked down at her, empty eye sockets gazing right back at her. 

"Thanks, big guy." She said, suppressing his being back into the inner workings of her key. She hid the necklace under her shirt, staring up at the bell tower. She had a sneaking suspicion a certain Cleopatra-esc assassin would be there. Stepping over loose chains and fallen 'No Trespassing' signs, she forced the old cast iron door opened. The dark sanctuary was crawling with spirits, some of which came right up to her with petrifying stares. Yerim paid them no mind, instead continuing on her search for a way up. She contemplated summoning Haegol again, but figured she couldn't risk people seeing her fly up the side of a bell tower in broad daylight. That, and there was always a risk of him deciding he was bored and going on a bloody rampage.

Yerim carried on into the back portion of the church. Eventually, she came across a spiral staircase littered with rat droppings and dust from the damaged ceiling. Without hesitation, she made her ascent in hopes of finding out what the girl was up to. She eventually reached the top, struggling to push a little door opened. It must have been a while since someone had used it. Finally, it gave way and allowed Yerim to slide it opened. When her head poked up, she was surprised to find a pretty nice set up. There was a mattress sitting in the corner with an upside-down cardboard box serving as a makeshift nightstand. A variety of wind chimes and other trinkets hung from the high ceilings, clinking as a breeze blew by. Finally, there was Seulgi; hunched over a pile of Polaroid pictures like a lion devouring its catch. 

"Nice place you have here." Seulgi quickly grabbed a nearby piece of metal pipe, throwing it directly at Yerim's head. She managed to move to the side, the pipe ricocheting off of the brick wall behind her and returning to Seulgi's hand.

"Yerim-ah?" Yerim swore she saw a flash of some unknown emotion in her monolid eyes, however, that quickly faded back into the critical gaze she recognized. "What are you doing here? How did you find me?"

"Haegol's a good tracker." Seulgi grumbled, throwing the pipe off to the side as she returned to her pile. "Plus, you weren't exactly hard to spot." Yerim peered over Seulgi's shoulder. She had been writing something on one of the little images. Taking a closer look, it had red fingerprints all over it - most likely from being handled by the bloody hands of Seulgi. The girl in the picture looked familiar, though she couldn't quite identify her from that distance. She was dressed in a white nightgown and appeared to be asleep. There was another image by her foot. Yeri crouched down to pick it up and examine it. This one was of a beer-bellied man holding his hands up in front of the camera with a frightened expression. 

"Who are these people?" 

"Too dumb to figure it out?" 

"You have a lot of them." The younger observed, looking around at all of the tiny pictures scattered across the floor and even stuck to the giant bell looming over their heads. "Seulgi, are these your victims?" Seulgi looked up from what she was doing long enough to glance at the red brick in front of her. That was more than enough of an answer. "I get you're an assassin, but isn't that a bit too morbid? Having all of your sins trapped in photos?"

"What does it matter?" Seulgi muttered lowly. "They're all dead anyway. I already carry their blood on my hands, yet you're worried about their pictures?" 

"I guess you're right." Yerim continued looking down at the odd man's picture then the massive heap Seulgi was nested in.

"That's the difference between you and I. I take pride in my work. It seems you're far too attached to the spirit world to say the same."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Yerim snapped, taking offense to such a claim.

"It means you're too soft." The older stated bluntly, finally turning to look at an angry Yerim. "Struck a nerve?" 

"You bitch!" Seulgi lethargically rolled to the side with an unenthused expression - effectively dodging Yerim's reckless attack. Not having enough time to slow her momentum, Yerim nearly fell over the edge of the bell tower if not for Seulgi's grip on the back of her shirt. A cold hand roughly pressed her into the hard brick, the other twisting her arm to make her release the pipe with a loud clank. 

"You should consider yourself lucky." Seulgi spat into her ear. "If I had even an ounce of a reason, I'd let you drop right now." Yerim swallowed the lump building in her throat, wincing as Seulgi twisted her arm harder for emphasis. Looking down, she could see a horde of hungry demons waiting for her. The older released her, walking away as Yerim struggled to recover from the near death experience. 

"Thanks." She muttered with very little sincerity. Seulgi was unresponsive as usual, continuing with what she was doing like nothing even happened. "I've seen the news reports. It was you, wasn't it." Seulgi continued writing on the card from earlier, holding it out for Yerim to take once she was finished and moved on to the next one. The younger approached, brow raised in curiosity. She took the photo from her hand and brought it up to examine it closely. Sure enough, Bae Haeun - Joohyun's younger sister - was the figure depicted on the card. Yerim said nothing. She just looked at Seulgi blankly. As far as she knew, Bae Haeun was as innocent as they come so why did Seulgi see her as a plausible target? Or was she just blindly following Irene's plan like the rest of them? Yerim took a breath, ready to voice her question when Seulgi cut her off.

"I know what you're going to say," Seulgi murmured, shuffling through her stash. "And no, I had no interest in killing her. However, her death will play a vital role in the grand scheme of things. You'd be wise to keep your mouth shut." Yerim bit her lower lip and nodded.

* * *

A loud thud coming from the kitchen made Wendy jolt and whirl around in surprise. A wide grin possessed her lips when she saw a bushel of red delicious apples sitting on the counter. Meanwhile, Yerim still looked just as grumpy as she did when she left. The maknae reached into the fridge, taking out a can of sparkling water before making her way towards her room.

"Thanks, Yerim-ah!"

"Whatever."


	5. Chapter 5

Yerim wiped a bit of drool from her chin, eyes falling closed with her head in her hand. Oh, how she envied the older women in moments like these. While she had to sit through long spiels about the art of old literature and why you need to memorize the quadratic formula in order to live a better life, the three eldest got to do pretty much whatever they wanted. Even Sooyoung lucked out being in her last year of high school for the third time in a row. She had all of the easy credits while Yerim was only a lowly junior stuck taking required and prerequisite courses she had little to no interest in. It didn't help that Sooyoung loved to gloat - rubbing her nose in it on a regular basis. Her inability to make friends cut out the only other option Yerim had towards being more engaged so she spent most of her school days napping and scaring the other students shitless.

She just wanted to go home.

Just like any other day, Yerim trudged down the path her peers had paved for her straight down the center of the hallway. She could hear them whispering and see their stares as clearly as anyone else would - the only difference was, she no longer had the will nor the energy to care. She tuned them out the same way she did everything else.

If only things were that easy.

For the first time ever, Kim Yerim collided with another body, falling back on her haunches receiving a symphony of surprised gasps. A boy sporting a mop of messy brown hair scrambled to collect her things, accidentally crumpling a few of her assignments in the process.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't see you there!"

"How could you not see me!?" Yerim barked, holding a hand to the knot forming on her head where it had collided with his. "Am I really that invisible!?" She was surprised to find a warm hand extended in her direction as an offer to help her up. With her skeptical gaze, she glared up at the smiling freshman.

"Actually, quite the opposite." She smacked the hand away, getting up by her own means making the boy feel even worse about the situation. He wiped his sweaty palm off on the leg of his cackeys while his shy eyes flickered up and down nervously. "I guess I'll see you around then?"

"Don't talk to me." After collecting whatever trace of dignity she had left, Yerim took her leave - marching off down the hallway.

* * *

On her way home that sunny afternoon, Yerim looked down at the yellow conference slip in her hand. Of course that brat ratted her out. Now she had to get a legal guardian to come meet with the principal and 'discuss her behavior.' The only problem was, she had no legal guardian. While Joohyun may have been the one to take her in, raise her from the ground up, and put a roof over her head, she had never signed off on any legal documentation solidifying her status in Yerim's life. As far as the government was concerned, Yerim may as well have been an orphan - the way her biological family left her to be.

She made a move to stuff the paper into her backpack, but it was snatched from her hand before she could do so.

"What's this?"

"Give it back!" Poor Yerim tried her best to reach the paper, but Sooyoung was too tall for her own good. A hand pressed against her head to keep the squealing child at bay while she took a good, long look at the paper to torment her further.

"Ooh! Yeri's in trouble!" She allowed Yerim the satisfaction of grabbing the paper back from her hand even though the damage had already been done.

"Shut up! It's not that bad! At least I'm not a third year senior unlike _someone_." The younger said, stuffing the paper into her backpack - not caring enough to maintain the state of it.

"You can't forge a signature on that one, Squirt."

"I know." Yerim sighed. "But what else am I supposed to do? Wendy's in hiding and there's no way in hell Seulgi would help me out. You go here so Principal Kim would recognize you which only leaves-" Sooyoung cut her off there with a loud laugh.

"Yeah, good luck with that."

"Ugh, I'm doomed." Yerim groaned, plopping down on the curb of the sidewalk. A soft chuckle and a pat on the noggin did little to sooth her restless conscience.

"I've gotta hand it to her, Irene _is_ an excellent actress. Maybe she'll go out on a limb for you if you can make it worth her while."

Yerim looked up with scared puppy eyes asking, "What do you mean?"

"Well, Irene doesn't do favors unless something's in it for her." Sooyoung said. "Usually you have to back a personal request with a favor in return; money, information, sex-"

"Isn't that last one just for Seulgi though?" Sooyoung's plump lips quirked up in a smirk.

"You'd be surprised."

"Gross."

"Look, the point is, you need someone to act the part and you have a pretty successful actress right at your fingertips. You already have a leg up since she likes you more than than the rest of us. You just need to _convince_ her." 

"Doubtful. She's not exactly the easiest person to persuade - even if she is the one responsible for me."

"Relax, okay? We can figure something out."

"We?" 

"Yeah. We." Sooyoung declared as if it was obvious. "I may be a super sexy assassin, but I have a bit of a heart too, ya know?"

"Right." Yerim whispered sarcastically, standing up and walking off towards the school gate. Of course, Sooyoung was beside her in a moment making Yerim roll her eyes into some other dimension.

"What? Am I not allowed to walk with you now?"

"If I say yes, would you leave me alone?"

"No."

"Well, there's your answer." Sooyoung chuckled, draping an arm over irritable Yerim's shoulder making the latter grimace as though the limb was made of goo. "Ew!"

"What do you mean 'ew!?'"

Yerim suddenly took off at a dead sprint down the sidewalk with Sooyoung nipping at her heels. The duo laughed as they ran through the deserted streets near the hideout, stepping in a few puddles upon arriving at the mouth of the alleyway. Sooyoung pulled Yerim back by her backpack only to stumble over the former's extended leg. They scrambled and shoved one another, trying to be the first through the door. Instead they toppled forwards, rolling down the stairs until they hit the bottom with a thud. Through an orchestra of grumbles and groans, the two youngest members of the group looked up to find three pairs of eyes staring at them.

"Uh-"

"I don't even wanna know." Seulgi mumbled, walking off in the direction of her own room and slamming the door behind her. Meanwhile, Joohyun sat in her chair - as poised and proper as ever - stroking Chugu's sleek back while Wendy was in the middle of stuffing her face with a bowl of pasta.

"Yeri has something for you." Sooyoung stated, looking at Joohyun and receiving a firm jab to the stomach from Yerim. Under the pressure of a pointed glance, Yerim caved - retrieving the crumpled slip of yellow paper from her backpack and handing it over to their leader. Joohyun's brows furrowed in confusion as she worked to unfold the material. Critical eyes scanned the words written on the paper and squinted in confusion.

"What is this?"

"A conference slip." Yerim sighed. "My legal guardian is supposed to sign it and meet with the principal to talk about...stuff." Joohyun looked up with a cold, blank expression.

"You don't have a legal guardian." 

"Yeah, but you're the closest thing I've got." Joohyun did have a bit of a secret soft spot for the maknae. While her parenting methods may not be very conventional or nurturing (raising a child surrounded by weapons and felons was probably not the best option) she'd be lying if she said she didn't care about her wellbeing. She even paid for both Yerim and Sooyoung's schooling out of pocket which, granted, was a very deep pocket, but the sentiment was there nonetheless. The leader turned the paper in her hand, checking to make sure nothing else was written on the back.

"And you want my help?" Yerim looked down at the floor and nodded shyly. The leader lifted her chin slightly, pondering the little one's request. "What's in it for me?"

"Um...my eternal gratitude?" Sooyoung pursed her lips in worry, trying to subtly read Joohyun's reaction. While she had expected a pissed off expression - one anyone else would have received - her face remained stoic and calculating. The point was, Yerim needed a real parent figure in her life right now and Joohyun was willing to play the part - just this once.

"Wendy?" Said woman finished slurping her noodles before choking out a small 'yes?' "Bring me a pen." In seconds a ballpoint pen rested in Joohyun's waiting hand. Yerim gulped as the stylus danced across the page, spelling out Joohyun's signature thus promising her presence in the principal's office the following afternoon. "Will that be all?" She inquired while handing the paper back to Yerim.

"Uh, yes." The younger murmured awkwardly, not quite used to acts of kindness or responsibility from Joohyun. "Thank you." She winced when a hard shoulder nudged her own.

"You got damn lucky, loser." Sooyoung snorted under her breath on her way to the couch.

* * *

The clock on the wall ticked much louder than Yerim remembered.

She sat in one of the chairs stationed in front of the principal's desk, kicking her legs out of boredom. Meanwhile, Principal Kim sat so upright the walls should have been jealous. His back was as stiff as a board, even as he reached to adjust a pen on his desk so it was perfectly aligned with the others before folding his hands neatly once more. He glanced up at the clock and clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"She's late." He griped making Yerim shift in her chair.

"She'll be here." Bae Joohyun was many things, but wishy-washy was not one of them. If Yerim could count on anyone to be present, it was her. She began to wonder if this would be dangled over her head, though. All of the things Sooyoung listed off the day before sounded less than appealing - especially the last one. Surely Joohyun wouldn't want something like that from her. Right?

As if summoned by the internal pleading in her head, Joohyun walked into the principal's office making Yerim's eyes widen in a blend between pure horror and surprise. The woman was dressed like a secretary - glasses, bun, pencil skirt, and all. It was like watching the start of a bad porno and Yerim had accidentally purchased a front row ticket to the wrong show. Was she dreaming right now or had Joohyun's alter ego finally made the split?

"Please excuse my tardiness, Mister Kim, it seems my desk will never be cleared." Ah, so she _was_ in character. It made sense - Joohyun was rather well known for being a member of the third wealthiest household in Asia. If she were to be recognized there, that could open up a million new scandals for the press to feast upon. 

"Oh, that's quite alright," The principal said while fixing his hair and adjusting his tie. "I know how that feels. Please, have a seat. And might I say, you look lovely this afternoon."

Yerim wanted to throw up and die.

Throughout the entire duration of the conference, Mister Kim made it his life mission to get in Joohyun's pants. Never had Yerim seen anyone so pathetically desperate and that's saying a lot. Joohyun seemed to be taking his not-so-subtle advances in stride, though Yerim could tell by the twitch in her fingers that her restraints were quickly severing. Still, despite the uncomfortable nature of the conversation, the smile never left the older's lips. Her performance deserved a round of applause - one Yerim would be sure to give her later.

"I'm sure your _husband_ will be very disappointed in her actions as well?" The student shook her head, almost pitying the poor man. 

"Actually, it's just us. My husband, he..." Yerim quirked a bewildered brow, watching as Joohyun began to sob - accepting the tissue the principal handed her with a grateful nod. She pretended to coil into Yerim's shoulder, bitterly whispering into her ear, "Get me out of here and consider your debts repaid."

"My apologies, I didn't mean to-" 

"It's fine!" Yerim squeaked, awkwardly jumping to her feet. "Um, my dear mother isn't feeling well so if you wouldn't mind-"

"Oh! Of course!" His leather chair groaned when he stood to open the door for the two women. Joohyun continued to sniffle and dab her eyes with the tissue as Yerim escorted her out. "I hope you've - uh - learned your lesson?" He stated, trying to be professional but failing miserably. Yerim put on a tight-lipped smile and bowed politely, walking away with Joohyun tucked underneath her arm.

"Let's go, mother." The duo waited for his office door to close before ducking around the corner, releasing simultaneous sighs of relief. Joohyun removed the glasses and tucked them away into the pocket of her blue overcoat while Yerim stood by with her lower lip caught between her teeth.

"Thanks."

"Don't expect any more free favors from me." Joohyun mumbled, running her hands over her clothing to rid them of any creases. "Capiche?"

* * *

Upon hearing footsteps coming down the stairs, Sooyoung lazily glanced over her shoulder while tossing a few pieces of popcorn into her open mouth. 

"Oh hey. How was the conference?" She called as Yerim marched in, plopping down on the couch beside her. It took a moment to find the words best fit for summarizing the events of the evening.

"Disturbing." Sooyoung snorted, stuffing her face with another hand full of popcorn.

"Yeah, guy's a creep. He tried to sneak a peak under my skirt once. I got six weeks worth of detention for beating him over the head with a textbook. Totally worth it." She tilted the bowl in her lap towards a snickering Yerim as an open offer to which the younger accepted. While Yerim tried to catch up on what was happening in the drama Sooyoung had been watching, Seulgi waltzed in. She appeared to be in search of something - or someone. Stretching her neck to peer over the couch, Yerim took it upon herself to rid the assassin of her confusion.

"She isn't here. Her dad's helping Sooman propose tonight."

"What?" The maknae line's heads whipped around, surprised by Seulgi's semi-passionate outburst.

"She kinda has to marry the guy before she can get his fortune." Sooyoung stated. "Apparently a rich bloodline is more important to them than the life of their youngest daughter. Once the will is written, we'll put a bullet through his head and split the reward - same way we always have." The words didn't seem to calm Seulgi at all. While she wasn't one to wear her feelings for all to see, little signs of anger and hurt became evident in smaller ways. From their positions at her sides, the duo could see Seulgi was subtly cracking her fingers one by one. "What, did you think she was set on being your personal fuck buddy forever? If I didn't know better, I'd say you still have feelings for her." 

"It isn't like that."

"Oh really?" Sooyoung chuckled, turning to focus all of her attention on harassing the older woman. "Because the way I see it, while she's out there setting us up for success, you're stuck down here with the likes of us feeling horny and sad - longing to be touched. Only problem is, you don't want anyone else but her. Doesn't that sound a bit suspicious?"

"She's good in bed."

"So am I, but I don't hear you knocking on _my_ door in the middle of the night." Seulgi scoffed, heels clicking as she marched towards the stairs. Yerim turned to watch her go while Sooyoung's gaze remained fixed on the TV. "I hope you're not planning on interfering." Her footsteps came to a halt - head turning to spare a glance over her shoulder. "Need I remind you what happened the last time you stepped out of line?" 

"I don't like her." Seulgi snarled through gritted teeth.

"No, but you love her." The older released a loud groan of frustration - one of the loudest sounds Yerim and Sooyoung had ever heard her make - as she stormed out, disappearing to heaven knows where. Yerim shyly looked over at Sooyoung, wondering if getting her pokes in had been worth it. The girl's features were set aglow by the blue hues radiating from the TV screen. She appeared to be a bit disheartened by Seulgi's exit despite being the one who agitated her so. 

"Joy? Do you..._like_ Seulgi?" Sooyoung's eyes wavered for only a moment though it hadn't gone unnoticed by the maknae.

"Not at all." She detected no little white lies in her words, only truth which further confused Yerim. If she wasn't captivated by Seulgi's charms, then why did she appear to be so hurt by the conversation? Unless... "Don't go digging into things that don't concern you, Yeri." Sooyoung spoke once more. "I hate all of you, but Seulgi wins that race by a landslide. Irene is a grade A slut, Wendy's a psychotic nut case, you I can stand, but Seulgi? Not a chance."

"What happened between you two? You've been at her throat ever since-"

"She stole something from me." Sooyoung stated in a low, annoyed tone. "That's all I have to say about it." Not wanting to push for further details, Yerim sat properly on the sofa and continued watching the drama in silence.


	6. Chapter 6

_Joohyun's mouth fell opened in a moan, her bare back slipping across the silk sheets beneath her. Suho's husky grunts and groans against her sensitive ear made her heart ache even more than it already did. She hated herself - hated how weak of a woman she was. How could she allow herself to live in her husband's shadow? He was a good man - he really was, but he was also a dying man. The tumor swelling in his brain wanted to take him away from her and Joohyun would not stand for it any longer. _

_Tears streamed down the woman's face as hiccups that could easily be mistaken for moans slid from her throat. Her husband's lips came to rest against her neck, planting warm kisses against the soft spot there. He failed to notice the barrel of a gun looming centimeters away from the side of his head. Suddenly, he pulled away - looking down into the sorrowful doe eyes of his wife. His hips never ceased their movements eliciting a few tiny squeaks from the woman underneath him. She didn't want to kill him, but he would be leaving her soon enough regardless. She just wanted his last moments to be pleasant. _

_Joohyun's finger rested on the trigger as Suho finished with a rumbling groan. Her hand was shaking, eyes red with tears and heartbreak. Suho's gaze briefly met hers one last time with a soft smile gracing his handsome features._

_"I love you, Noona."_

With the echo of a gunshot ringing in her ears, Joohyun released a loud wail, sitting bolt upright in bed. Her red, sweaty chest heaved with every pant, lips chapped from lack of hydration. A part of her was bewildered at the sight of her vanity and old broken clock reflecting the light of the quarter moon off of its cracked face. It took her a moment to realize that she was in her own room rather than the luxurious bedroom she once shared with her late husband.

Her head fell back against the headboard with a dull thud. Even in death, his ghost haunted her thoughts like the cancerous growth that was plaguing his. The new diamond ring adorning her finger caught her eye. It was beautiful - much more extravagant and gaudy than Suho's was - but her heart didn't swell the way it used to.

An annoyed scowl worried her features when blue light leaked in through a forming crack in the door and made the diamond glisten. Her eyes drifted over to find a very tired but concerned-looking Seungwan standing in the doorway.

"I heard you shout," She mumbled groggily while rubbing the sleep from her eye, letting a yawn slip in the process. "Is everything okay?" In truth, Joohyun was hurting, though that was valuable information worth far more than the rock on her finger - a weakness she could never let slip. Still, she needed the empty void in her chest to be filled once more, even just for a little while, and Son Seungwan had just unknowingly presented herself as a worthy candidate. Her cold glare swiftly shifted into a seductive smile that embraced her prey like a warm, summery breeze. With a sultry crook of her finger, she lured the drowsy woman towards her bed as though she was a drunken sailor possessed by a siren's spell. Having lost all control of the wheel, the ship crashed against the rocks.

The other side of the mattress dipped under the younger's weight while Joohyun slithered out from under the covers and crawled over to meet her. A tiny moan of initial surprise was swallowed up by a hungry mouth. Their tongues danced a slow tango, the raven's hand caressing and playfully squeezing the younger's jaw. 

"Sleep with me." It was less of an offer and more of a demand. Joohyun needed to feel something - anything - so she turned to the only sensation capable of diverting her attention; sex. Normally she had Seulgi to take care of it, but quite frankly, almost anyone could help her lose her focus just long enough to ease the ache.

She made quick work of the buttons keeping the purple haired psycho's sleep shirt together, tossing it carelessly onto the floor below. Their heated lip lock continued even as Joohyun aggressively guided her guest onto her back. A low murmur rumbled in Seungwan's throat when a sneaky hand worked its way down into her pants and rubbed her through the material of her underwear.

"It's been a while since we've done this." She whispered in a voice still hoarse from sleep. "What's the occasion?" Legend has it, the question remains unanswered to this day. Instead, Joohyun moved away to coax Seungwan's pants down her legs and exiled them to the floor below along with her underwear.

Joohyun's low pants and moans were hardly audible over the sounds of distant sirens and dogs barking but they sent shivers down the younger's spine nonetheless. The ecstasy she felt when warm breath mingled with the curves and edges of her ear reminded her of how much she used to lust over the woman - her touch. "I do love your butt," The widow rasped. "It's so plump and squeezable." A mouse-like squeal made Seungwan blush harder after a pair of playful hands groped and smacked her backside. Pillowy lips kissed their way to the underside of her jaw as a hand glided down plains of soft stomach to nestle against her wet folds. 

"Please don't tease." Joohyun's lips quirked into a sly smirk against the woman's neck. Without much of a warning, Seungwan cried out as two digits slipped into her tight channel, stretching her out in a scissoring motion. "Oh fuck!"

"Wannie, Wannie, Wannie," Joohyun playfully ticked while caressing her temporary lover's sweet spot with the pads of her fingers. "So worked up, you poor thing."

"I don't get to do this very often." She breathed shyly, watching Joohyun's fingers disappear inside of her. "Plus, I may or may not have been dreaming about you and Seulgi." The older hummed softly, leaning forward to capture Seungwan's parted lips once more. The latter's brows furrowed while her hips started to rock against Joohyun's palm on their own accord. Joohyun allowed their kiss to end and watched her partner's head fall back as a symphony of wanton cries left her mouth, voice shaking under the rhythm of their combined movements. Her walls began to clench around Joohyun's fingers, grabbing on for more pleasure while simultaneously letting the raven know of the power she held over her body in that moment.

"Feel good, baby girl?" She whispered coyly through a teasing smile, watching closely as the younger nodded her head - eyes closed, head swaying under the pace her leader's hand had set. Joohyun saw the opportunity to tease her further and took it. "Wet dreams, you say? Maybe Seulgi would like a little treat in the bedroom. I think you'll find her skinny fingers really _hit the spot_." Those words were emphasized by a crook of her fingers that stroked Wendy's sweet spot directly. The younger started to pant and whine more desperately now, teetering on the edge of orgasm. "Does Wannie wanna come?" A needy little whimper was the only answer Joohyun needed. Deep within the files of her memory, Joohyun retrieved what she knew to be Wendy's weakness when it came to sex. "Come for Mama." With a few gentle rubs against her clit, Wendy came with a wanton moan - soaking Joohyun's hand and sheets with her release. However, the leader wasn't through with her just yet. As quickly as the first wave crashed upon the sands, another soon followed making her legs tremble with pleasure. 

"Please no more." Seungwan pleaded for mercy, feeling far too overstimulated to take any more, but received none. Instead, she rode through four orgasms - each one more exhausting than the last - until she collapsed against the mattress, completely spent. Joohyun hummed an unfamiliar tune while licking her fingers clean, glancing over at the woman laying beside her. "Gimme a second and I'll pay you back." She wheezed making Joohyun chuckle.

"Not tonight. Consider this my way of returning a favor." A wet kiss was pressed to Seungwan's warm neck making her whimper like a wounded animal. Without another word, Joohyun settled underneath the blankets once more and turned her back towards her visitor.

However, while Seungwan promptly fell into another realm of deep asleep, Joohyun was wide awake through the rest of the night.

* * *

The following morning, a wincing, thoroughly fucked Seungwan was greeted with loud whooping and kissing noises from the younger girls.

"Oh! Mommy! You're so _wonderful_ and _sexy_!" Sooyoung exclaimed sarcastically, popping the blazer of her school uniform open making Yerim grab her stomach and kick her legs in laughter.

Embarrassed, she shot them a side-eyed glare on her way to the kitchen. "Real mature, you guys."

"Hey Yeri, who am I?" A rendition of exaggerated moans and odd faces coupled with the maknae's cheerful cackling made Seungwan's face feel a thousand degrees hotter. Trying (and failing) to ignore the obnoxious duo sitting on the couch, she reached into the back of the refrigerator for a soda. The harassment and humiliation was somewhat expected. The youngest members - namely Sooyoung - loved to pick on her for everything else, so why would sex be any different? The fact that she didn't get much action to begin with failed to ease the situation.

The laughter in the room was immediately silenced upon Seulgi's sudden arrival. All eyes watched her storm off towards her room without so much as a glance in the others' direction. The door to her room closed with a wall-shuttering slam making Seungwan jump and spill a bit of her soda on the front of her pajamas. With her mood officially killed, Sooyoung rolled her eyes and returned them to the TV.

Puzzled, Yerim's brow quirked up in a curious arc. "What's with her?" 

"She's mad about Irene." Sooyoung muttered in annoyance. "I'm sure she's been spying on the wedding preparations. _Creep_." She added while firmly mashing one of the buttons on the remote.

Yerim was more than a little crushed that Seulgi still had eyes for their leader. After hearing about the two's history and tragic romance, not to mention their late night sexcapades, her heart cried with both longing and jealousy. She couldn't blame her though - their leader was in a league of her own and she paled in comparison. Yerim wanted someone that only had eyes for her, but she _really_ wanted that someone to be Seulgi.

The thought posed a valid question;

"Hey," Sooyoung spared a glance in the younger's direction. "If Seulgi's still in love with her, why did they break up to begin with?"

"Suho," The taller replied simply and softly, looking back at the TV. "Irene's first husband. Her dad arranged the marriage while she was secretly dating Seulgi - back before this group or whatever became a thing. She promised she would end him as soon as everything was finalized, but that never happened."

"Why not?" A starry-eyed Yerim gazed up at Sooyoung like a small child hearing an elder's tale for the first time. Seungwan seemed rather intrigued as well - looming over the back of the couch with her half-empty soda can in hand.

"She fell in love," The audience's eyes fell in a tangy blend of sadness, confusion, surprise, and pity. "Of course Seulgi was pissed, so she forced Irene to choose-"

"So she chose Suho." Seungwan whispered. 

Sooyoung nodded her head gently. "She wasn't always the bitch she is now. Word on the street is she used to be quite frail and domestic - a real 'daddy's girl' type. It wasn't until Suho kicked the bucket that she really started to change." Joy chuckled to herself, a sly, apathetic smirk spreading across her lips like warm butter. "Tragic, isn't it?"

Seungwan quirked her lips and furrowed her brows, quietly questioning Sooyoung's sources. "How do you know any of this is true?" 

"You of all people should know how good I am at solving riddles," The raven said boastfully. "If I want answers, I get them. Trust me, the proof is in the pudding."

The older's eyes widened to planetary proportions. "You blackmailed them!?" 

"No. I wish it was that interesting," Sooyoung chuckled. "I have ears. I hear their conversations and what they mumble in their sleep. I also saw Seulgi give Irene a locket on the way home a few nights ago and I did some digging. Turns out our dear leader still has a major soft spot for her _lost love_." She cooed in a fake lovey-dovey voice meant to belittle Joohyun's dead feelings of romance. 

Yerim was a flurry of emotions.

Here she was, practically drooling over Seulgi, yet the woman was still adamant on chasing someone that left her in the dust? Was the sex really that good or was she just desperate? Either way, the reality of it stung.

"I heard her screaming last night," Seungwan stated, replaying the events of her intimate time with their leader like a tape in her head. "And not the usual kind. Do you think she still has dreams about him?"

Sooyoung chuckled, humored by the very question as though the answer was blatantly obvious. "Oh, for sure. That's why she's such a sex addict. I wouldn't be surprised if she pretends whoever she's in bed with _is _Suho."

"I fail to see how any of this is your business." Three heads snapped around to meet Seulgi's stern gaze. The tallest of the bunch scoffed, rolling her eyes with such bitterness it put a foul, lemon flavor in the mouths of her spectators.

"What, can't we have a little girl talk every now and then?"

"Our personal lives are not up for discussion." There was a sort of dry iciness to Sooyoung's gaze as she glared up at Seulgi who stood only a few meters away - the other end of the sectional being the only barrier between them. The eyes of the duo that had disengaged from the conversation shifted from person to person, unsure of how to diffuse or escape the situation.

"Everyone knows you two are hooking up." Sooyoung mumbled matter-of-factly. "The rest of it is just general information."

In the ever so typical Seulgi fashion, the woman called it like she saw it; "You're jealous." Joy's jaw clenched in her mouth. The air felt stagnant - as though a bomb could drop from the sky at any given moment. 

"That's really interesting, Seulgi, because the way I see it, you're so desperate for her attention that you're willing to bend over for her knowing she has no real feelings for you!" Peace-keeper Seungwan made a move to stop the younger girl from rising off of the couch, but Yerim held her arm. Exchanging a glance, all they could do was watch from the sidelines as an angry Sooyoung approached Seulgi - a very bold move on her part. "You're just mad she wanted dozens of little Suho babies! You _know_ she wouldn't be giving you the time of day if he was still alive! You know that, and yet you still fall for her _over _and _over_ again! What, do you just _enjoy_ having your heart stepped on?"

What happened next caught everyone by surprise.

With the most bland expression ever worn on a human face, Seulgi's slender hands quickly came up to cradle the younger's jaw, lips planting themselves directly onto Sooyoung's. Seungwan and Yerim's jaws nearly hit the floor while Sooyoung stood stiff as a board - petrified by the warm sensation coursing through her veins. Meanwhile, Seulgi still appeared to be as calm and composed as ever, even while exposing the soft underbelly of her hidden desires in such a spontaneous display. When her lips made their departure, she hovered them over the shell of Sooyoung's ear so her words would be kept secret.

A chill slithered up the taller's spine as the older woman's soft rasp casted its deadly spell. "I pity you for thinking my emotions are always so black or white," She husked. "I encourage you to think of them more in _gray scale_." With that, Seulgi backed away and made her exit leaving the trio standing in pregnant silence. 


End file.
